Garrett Wilson made a pair of catches on third down, one for 15 yards in the first quarter and one for 19 yards in the third quarter, that accounted for 34 of his 54 receiving yards in Sunday's 19-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium.
The third-year wide receiver who was the Jets' top selection (No. 10 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft, is on the cusp of surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight season. He currently has 987 yards (to go with his team-leading 90 catches) to his credit, with two games left in the 2024 NFL season. He has eclipsed 100 yards in four games so far this season, though he has expressed his frustration over limited targets (6 at Jacksonville, 7 vs. the Rams) in recent games. There's little doubt he will become the first Jet and the fifth NFL receiver to start an NFL career with three consecutive 80-catch, 1,000-yard seasons.
"We got to find ways to get Garrett the ball more often," interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich told reporters Monday morning. "He's one of the best players on our team, if not one of the best players in this league, especially at his position. So the progression, for a lot of different reasons, from a cover standpoint, took him [QB Aaron Rodgers] off Garrett. But at the same time, we got to find ways to get him the ball for sure.
"When you have a player as good as he is who is very obviously frustrated. I mean, he's made that pretty apparent over the last couple of weeks."
Coming from a winning college program -- at Ohio State -- like so many other NFL players, Wilson has often spoken about his burning desire to win and frustration over losing. No. 5 has proved his worth and his talent for the spectacular, like his incredible one-handed TD grab in a win over Houston on Halloween night that can easily qualify as one of the best plays in the league this season.
"I think if you weren't frustrated, I think that would bother me," Ulbrich said. "I think he's just one of those ultimate competitors that wants the ball, not for selfish reasons, just from the standpoint he knows he can help our team win if he does have the ball in his hands. Of course, there's going to be a little bit of frustration just when we lose, because he always feels like he's the guy that can win the game for us. So, I think he's utilized that frustration to really push himself to be better in every single way. And as long as he continues to use that as motivation, it can be a positive."
LB Jamien Sherwood: Stopping Bills' Josh Allen Is Job 1
One man's injury is another man's opportunity, none more so than linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who has stepped in admirably for the Jets' injured captain C.J. Mosley.
Sherwood, the team's leading tackler, has been steadfast in his commitment to give it his all in the two remaining games -- Sunday at Buffalo and Jan. 5 against visiting Miami.
"Obviously the season didn't go the way we wanted," he said on Monday. "But these final weeks you'll just find out what type of man you have next to you, guys who just continue to want to keep playing, guys who do want to turn this around. Obviously, winning these next two games won't change anything in our season. But for me, that's big, because I go out there and I put my life on the line, my heart out on the line."
Looking ahead to traveling to Buffalo (13-3) for Sunday's game against the five-time AFC East winner, Sherwood said it's all about containing Bills QB Josh Allen.
"He presents a lot of challenges ... he can throw it and he can also run," Sherwood said. "So I'll say the main thing for us, we haven't gone over a game plan yet, but just basically stopping him. He's the heart and soul of that offense, of that whole team. The team goes as he goes."
Chuck Clark: 'There Ain't No Quit in Me'
After Sunday's game, QB Aaron Rodgers alluded to his view that there's waning commitment among some of his teammates. On Monday, safety Chuck Clark said, for him, that's simply not the case -- though the feeling may not be universal.
"I think there's definitely some truth to that," Clark said, referring to Rodgers' comments. "Coming out here, taking the field, my mindset is I'm blessed with the opportunity to take the field, being able to strap it up and go out there and play. I play for my family that's watching me, for the kids that grow up where I'm from watching. I'm saying it's bigger than just alright saying the season is over now, that's not how I feel. Anytime I take that football field, I'm trying to win, I'm trying to make plays. I'm trying to play for my teammates, who sacrifice their body and their time, my coaches sacrifice their time, their bodies as well. So, I want to win football games. There ain't no quit me. And I hope that just trickles through me to the rest of my teammates."
He added: "Just keep demonstrating my actions. I'm still here and I'm still swinging."
Injury Update
Rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu, who was carted off the field on Sunday with an injury to his right foot, is scheduled to be evaluated and have scans of the foot. ... Jeff Ulbrich said that Quinnen Williams was held out of Sunday's game because of a tight hamstring. "He's got this internal drive to go out there and play and play for his teammates," Ulbrich said. "So, he's a guy I won't ever count out until he tells me."
